Ephs Head to Ohio for NCAA Championship

Highland Hills, OH--The Williams women will compete in the Div. III NCAA Championship this Saturday, hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College at the Highland Hills Golf Course in Highland Hills, Ohio. After garnering a 3rd-place finish at the regional championship meet last weekend despite running without senior co-captain Bret Scofield, the Ephs look to bring a strong, healthy top 7 to th e line this weekend.

Williams is currently ranked 8th nationally, with fellow New England competitors MIT and Middlebury ranked 3rd and 4th, respectively (defending national champion Middlebury is tied with Johns Hopkins). Calvin College, last year's silver medal team, is currently top ranked in the nation.

Last year, the Ephs claimed 3rd place at the NCAA Championships, with standout Lauren Philbrook '09 capturing All-American status and 19th place overall. This year, the competition has proven especially strong, with MIT and Middlebury driving forces in the New England region. Head Coach Pete Farwell and his team know when to kick it into high gear, though, and this weekend should bring an exciting race with plenty of surprises.

Members of all four classes are represented in the top 7 competing this weekend: Scofield, Elly Teitsworth '10, Olga Kondratjeva '10, Meghan Shea '11, Lauren Goldstein-Kral '10, Jennifer Gossels '13, and Annie Dear '13. Ariel Williams '10 will serve as an alternate.

Scofield, who was out last weekend due to injury, will return fully recovered this weekend. Commenting on the team's strategy for the race, Scofield said, "Our team goal is to have a good start and then just keep moving up during the race. We'd also like to run in a pack as much as possible, although that's typically difficult in such a large, fast race."

She noted, "The start line is bizarre because it is split in two and the two groups join at the 400-meter mark. The course is basically one huge loop, which is unlike many of the courses we usually run."

The freshman class has brought a new level of depth to Williams' top 7 this year. Jennifer Gossels has been a standout performer this season, proving her power and strength and improving steadily throughout the season. If her progression this season is any indicator, Saturday's race should be one of Gossels' best. 

Another first-year who has shown outstanding improvement this season is Annie Dear. After returning from injury mid-season, Dear showed immense talent and determination and has improved by leaps and bounds with each race. Finishing 2nd for th e Ephwomen at regionals last weekend, Dear is positioned to have a strong culminating race on Saturday. 

More than 40 members of the men's and women's teams will make the trip to Ohio this weekend to spectate. With a crowd of such magnitude and energy, the Ephs will have plenty of support and are sure to impress. The women's 6k race begins at 11 a.m.